Can I change a Dubai Visitor Visa to Dubai Student/Permanent Visa when I get there to Dubai?

To obtain a visit visa to the UAE you need a close family member to sponsor you. Father, brother etc. If this is the case you do not need to be sponsored by the University. Not knowing if you want to study short or long term and what University you want to visit, below please find some examples how Universities handle the visa processing: http://www.aus.edu/publicaffairs/publicrelations/international.php http://www.aud.edu/Admissions/tuition_grad.asp http://www.mdx.ac.uk/campus/campuses/dubai/visa.asp The new visa rules do not effect the Student visas which will be valid always for one year and then need to be renewed. These visas will only be offered to fulltime students. Here the new visa rules: http://www.gulfnews.com/uaessentials/residentsguide/getting_started/10067130.html If you are not able to come on a visit visa, you have to apply for a tourist visa through a travel agency or hotel. Take care and good luck! edit: guess the previous answerer got mixed up with the visa rules for India. In the UAE a residency visa is processed in within a couple days. edit: felt so free to through your profile. Well, as an American who wants to study in Dubai for 4 months, you might find the following article interesting. (Wasn't possible to copy the link, sorry) Students travelling to the UAE to pursue short-duration courses can now apply for an education visa valid for 60 days, which can be renewed twice. The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) yesterday introduced the new education visa category for short-duration courses, to be implemented from July 29, to facilitate study in the emirates. As per the new rule, students can apply for the education visa, valid for 60 days, for a cost of Dh1,110 and renew it twice for 60 days each (a total of six months), paying Dh610 for every renewal. Mohammed Ahmed Al Hammadi, DNRD Entry Permit Director, told Khaleej Times, "This new visa category for students will facilitate study in Dubai in short-term courses up to six months instead of travelling on a visit visa." The university has to apply on behalf of the student after submitting its acceptance letter and the student's passport copy. Earlier, students could take up short-duration courses only on a visit visa, which could be renewed once after paying a fee and if students wanted to renew it again, they would have to travel out of the country. However, now it can be renewed without exiting from the country. Universities and students welcomed the new move saying this would make the UAE more attractive to students. Alexander Gehrig, general manager of SAE University in Dubai, said, "This is fantastic as it supports Dubai and the UAE's plan to make it an educational hub. Countries like Singapore offer four-week student visas and have very tight requirement. In the process, it (Singapore) closed the market for short-term courses." George Mathew, who recently completed a four-month course in photography at an institute in Dubai, said, "There are many international colleges offering short-term courses here, especially in Dubai, and students want to pursue these courses. This move would be of great relief for them as it is a hassle to study on a visit visa." Hammadi said long-duration courses like bachelor degrees and master's degrees have not undergone any changes. Presently, universities apply for one-year student visas and can renew them at the end of the year, depending on the duration of the course. The process remains the same for students residing in the UAE and for students travelling from abroad. For students abroad, the visa costs Dh1,000 and for students living here, it costs Dh1,620 as their resident visas have to be amended to student visas. Khaleej Times, 24. July 2008

absolutely no way